Results: World’s Best Vineyards 2022

A new Top 50 was announced in Mendoza, Argentina, last night. Canopy was there and here are the results…

The amazing Antinori nel Chianti Classico in Tuscany, Italy, was crowned World’s Best Vineyard last night.
It’s the first time a wine estate other than Zuccardi Valle de Uco has topped the World’s Best Vineyards list, now in its fourth year.


Fittingly, Canopy’s parent company, William Reed, came to three-time winner Zuccardi, in Argentina’s stunning Uco Valley (above), to announce the new Top 50.
The annual list, which highlights the world’s finest wine destinations across the globe, also saw Italy celebrating the highest climber accolade with sparkling wine producer Ferrari Trento (below) roaring 50 places up the list to number 11.



Representatives of the two Italian estates – Cecilia Buzman (Marchesi Antinori group) and Camilla Lunelli (Gruppo Lunelli/Ferrari Trento) – collected their awards from organiser Andrew Reed.


Spain’s stupendous Bodegas de los Herederos del Marqués de Riscal (above) – with its longstanding history and breath-taking architecture – took second place for the second year in a row. Chilean vineyards Montes and VIK Winery were voted third and fourth – making Montes the continent winner for South America.
Robert Mondavi Winery – described as the ‘soul of Napa Valley’ – took the honour for North America with its magnificent number 7 position.
The best in Africa is the creative Creation in South Africa, whilst Australian estate Henschke – with its stunning winery and wines – topped the list Down Under.


France and Portugal had the highest overall split of vineyards with each taking 11 spots on this year’s Top 100 list. Bordeaux’s Château Pape Clément (above) – where grapes were first harvested in 1252 before coming into the hands of Pope Clément V – was the highest new entry at number 26.
The 2022 list includes more countries than ever before with 20 from all six continents featured. It also includes exciting first-time entrants from India, Bulgaria and Greece – highlighting the recent growth in wine tourism. There were more English entries than ever before with Balfour Winery (78), Gusbourne (85) and Nyetimber (93) joining Ridgeview (73) on the list.


If you’re wondering why this year’s wonderful host, Zuccardi, isn’t on the list, it’s because the family (above) has been inducted into the World’s Best Vineyard’s Hall of Fame. This elite category will be formed of vineyards that top the annual vote three years in a row and are therefore no longer eligible to be voted for in any new lists.
Sebastián Zuccardi told the audience at the awards his family was “very honoured” to be the first in the Hall of Fame, adding: “When we won the first time, we didn't expect it. Imagine the second. Imagine the third!”
He told Canopy that since winning the award, their restaurant, Piedra Infinita, has been fully booked.
Andrew Reed, of organiser William Reed, commented: “The World’s Best Vineyards highlights wine tourism destinations around the globe and now that travel is back on the cards, this year’s list is more important than ever for raising profiles with tourists and those looking for authentic and unique trips. We are so pleased to have been able to travel to Mendoza for this year’s event. It is a place of extraordinary beauty and, of course, lots of amazing vineyards – the perfect wine tourism destination.”
Dr Nora Vicario, Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Province of Mendoza, said: “We were thrilled to be able to host this year’s World’s Best Vineyards event in Mendoza. Here you can breathe in wine and a culture unlike anywhere else in the world. It is one of the great wine capitals and the combination of mountains, wine and ever-increasing diversity and innovation makes it a perfect travel destination. Congratulations to all the wineries listed this year!”


With Zuccardi now in the Hall of Fame, Catena Zapata is now the highest entry from Mendoza, at number 9. Elena Catena (left) collected the award on behalf of the family, while their winemaker Alejandro Vigil collected the award for his El Enemigo project (no21) with Elena’s youngest daughter, Adrianna Catena.

The Top 100

1-50

Hall of Fame – Zuccardi Valle de Uco (Famillia Zuccardi), Uco Valley, Argentina
1 – Antinori nel Chianti Classico (Marchesi Antinori), San Casciano, Italy
2 – Bodegas de los Herederos del Marqués de Riscal, La Rioja, Spain
3 – Montes, Colchagua Valley, Chile
4 – VIK Winery, Cachapoal Valley, Chile
5 – Schloss Johannisberg, Rheingau, Germany
6 – González Byass, Bodegas Tio Pepe, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
7 – Robert Mondavi Winery, Oakville United States, USA
8 – Quinta do Crasto, Douro, Portugal
9 – Catena Zapata, Mendoza, Argentina
10 – Bodega Garzón, Maldonado, Uruguay
11 – Ferrari Trento, Trento, Italy
12 – Champagne Billecart-Salmon, Champagne, France
13 – Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Bordeaux, France
14 – Weingut Dr Loosen, Mosel, Germany
15 – Champagne Taittinger, Champagne, France
16 – Soalheiro, Alvaredo, Portugal
17 – Trapiche, Mendoza, Argentina
18 – Clos Apalta, Apalta Valley, Chile
19 – Quinta da Aveleda, Penafiel, Portugal


20 – Domäne Wachau (above), Wachau Valley, Austria
21 – El Enemigo Wines, Mendoza, Argentina
22 – Château Mouton Rothschild, Bordeaux, France
23 – Château d'Yquem, Bordeaux, France
24 – Opus One Winery, Oakville, USA
25 – Bodegas Salentein, Uco Valley, Argentina
26 – Château Pape Clément, Pessac, Bordeaux, France
27 – Château Pichon Baron, Bordeaux, France
28 – Quinta do Infantado, Pinhão Douro, Portugal
29 – Abadía Retuerta, Valladolid, Spain
30 – Viña Casas del Bosque, Casablanca Valley, Chile
31 – Quinta da Pacheca, Lamego, Portugal
32 – Viu Manent, Colchagua Valley, Chile
33 – Maison Ruinart, Champagne, France
34 – Pacs del Penedès (Familia Torres), Penedès, Spain
35 – Château Haut-Brion, Bordeaux, France
36 – Henschke, Barossa Valley, Australia
37 – Quinta do Bomfim (Symington Family Estates), Douro, Portugal
38 – Creation, Walker Bay, South Africa
39 – Klein Constantia Winery, Cape Town, South Africa


40 – Estate Argyros (above), Santorini, Greece
41 – Craggy Range, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand
42 – Quinta Nova de Nossa Senhora do Carmo, Covas do Douro, Portugal
43 – Chateau de Berne, Flayosc, France
44 – Bodegas Vivanco, La Rioja, Spain
45 – Donnafugata – Marsala, Marsala, Sicily, Italy
46 – Jordan Vineyard & Winery, Healdsburg, USA
47 – Tokara Winery, Stellenbosch, South Africa
48 – Quinta do Noval, Douro, Portugal
49 – Magill Estate (Penfolds), Adelaide Hills, Australia
50 – Schloss Gobelsburg, Kamptal, Austria

51-100

The World’s Best Vineyards’ 51-100 list includes legendary wineries in Italy, Australia, USA, Portugal, and South Africa, as well as this year’s continent winner in Asia (Karam Wines). It also includes exciting first-time entrants from India, Bulgaria and Greece – and there are more English entries than ever before with Balfour Winery, Gusbourne and Nyetimber joining Ridgeview on the list.

51 – Karam Wines, Jezzine, Lebanon
52 – Midalidare Estate, Mogilovo, Bulgaria
53 – Château Mercian Mariko Winery, Nagano Prefecture, Japan
54 – Delaire Graff Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa
55 – Matias Riccitelli, Lujan de Cuyo/Mendoza, Argentina
56 – William Chris, Hye, Texas, USA
57 – Monte Bello (Ridge Vineyards), Santa Clara, USA
58 – Ktima Gerovassiliou, Thessaloniki, Greece
59 – Château Khoury, Zahle, Lebanon


60 – d'Arenberg (above), McLaren Vale, Australia
61 – Bodega Colomé, Salta, Argentina
62 – Ceretto, Piedmont, Italy
63 – Quinta do Vallado, Regua Douro, Portugal
64 – SuperUco, Mendoza, Argentina
65 – Gaja, Piedmont, Italy
66 – Marqués de Murrieta Estates & Wines, Logrono, Spain
67 – Château Oumsiyat, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
68 – Château Héritage, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon
69 – Van Volxem, Wiltingen, Germany
70 – Villa Sandi, Crocetta del Montello (Treviso), Italy
71 – Seppeltsfield Barossa, Barossa Valley, Australia
72 – Bodega El Esteco, Cafayate, Argentina
73 – Ridgeview, Ditchling, Sussex, England
74 – Tenuta Cavalier Pepe, Campania, Italy
75 – Domaine Henri Bourgeois (Famille Bourgeois), Sancerre, France
76 – Vergelegen Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa
77 – Wine Cellar Villa Melnik, Melnik, Bulgaria
78 – Hush Heath Estate & Winery, Staplehurst, Kent, England
79 – Rippon, Central Otago, New Zealand


80 – Black Estate, Waipara, New Zealand
81 – Château Mukhrani, Tbilisi, Georgia
82 – Viña Casa Marín, Lo Abarca, Chile
83 – Kaiken Wines, Lujan de cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
84 – Dragomir Estate Winery, Brestnik/Plovdiv, Bulgaria
85 – Gusbourne, Ashford, England
86 – Schloss Vollrads, Rheingau, Germany
87 – Inglenook , Rutherford Napa Valley, USA
88 – Graham's Port Lodge, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
89 – Domaine Sigalas, Santorini, Greece
90 – Marchesi di Barolo, Barolo, Italy
91 – Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Napa, USA
92 – Cloudy Bay Vineyards (Marlborough), Marlborough, New Zealand
93 – Nyetimber, West Chiltington, England
94 – Fratelli Vineyards, Maharashtra, India
95 – Ata Rangi, Martinborough, New Zealand
96 – Waterkloof, Somerset West, South Africa
97 – Tenuta San Leonardo, Avio Trento, Italy
98 – Quinta da Taboadella, Silvã de Cima, Portugal
99 – Cullen Wines, Margaret River, Australia
100 – Atibaia, Batroun, Lebanon

How is the list compiled?

The list is compiled from all the nominations by the global academy of voters. The world is split into geographical regions, each headed up by an acknowledged expert as the Academy Chair. Each Academy Chair is responsible for recruiting 36 wine and travel experts. Each member of the Voting Academy must vote for 7 vineyards. There is no pre-determined checklist of criteria or predefined list to choose from – each vote is a nomination for a vineyard experience open to the public that they deem to be the best in the world.